Exciting iPad 3 update, LTE presumption

A day without a new piece of iPad 3 information is almost unheard of at the moment and we can tell you that the trend is still very much ongoing. We have some potentially major news to share with you now regarding Apple’s third-generation device, details regarding a possible date for an announcement and if the device will include 4G LTE data support or not.

It was just yesterday that we told you about Meijer’s $70 price cut to the iPad 2, and now to put further strength behind the claims that the iPad 3 will debut in March, we’re now hearing that the magical date could be Wednesday March 7.

The information has come from iMore, who in turn are citing a ‘reliable source’ for their scoop. It’s not the first time that we have heard about the iPad 3 making an appearance in the first week of March, as it was initially reported by All Things Digital that this would be the case. Now with this date in mind and the fact that retailers are now trying to shift as much iPad 2 stock as possible, does it now mean that we can safely say that the iPad 3 is definitely coming next month?

Moving away from the release rumors, we have an additional piece of information to bring you from the Wall Street Journal. They are well known for publishing legitimate Apple rumors prior to release and this week they are claiming that the iPad 3 will come with 4G LTE connectivity after all. This is another strong rumor that hasn’t gone away over the last few months, although recently it was thought that the device would still run on 3G networks only. According to the WSJ though, Apple will build their device so it supports both Verizon’s and AT&T’s 4G LTE network. For the record, the site is also stating that an announcement will take place in the first week of March.

There wasn’t any mention of T-Mobile or Sprint, so it remains to be seen whether Apple will extend the 4G love to both companies, or keep it exclusive to Verizon and AT&T. If it does end up with 4G LTE support, then that will be a major inventive for consumers to pick one up, who were initially not keen on buying yet another iPad with 3G support only.

A third-generation iPad with both 4G and a quad-core processor sounds like a true next-generation tablet fit for the 2012 market to us, so let’s hope this new reports are true. If the device does end up with both features, does it make the iPad 3 a must buy for you? It’s fair to say that we can also expect Siri to land on Apple’s next tablet, which could be another major incentive for some consumers.